Khandaker Abdul Muktadir, minister for commerce, industries, and textiles and jute, has sought the Netherlands’ cooperation in taking forward the proposed free trade agreement (FTA) with the European Union (EU) and in keeping Bangladesh’s trade advantages in the European market after it graduates from the list of least developed countries (LDCs). He also stressed strengthening the two countries’ economic relations by making use of Dutch technology and investment in agriculture, the jute industry, energy, ports and water management.
These matters were discussed on Tuesday at a bilateral meeting with Sjoerd Sjoerdsma, the Netherlands’ minister for foreign trade and development cooperation, in the conference room of the commerce ministry at the Secretariat.
At the meeting Khandaker Abdul Muktadir said the Netherlands is a long-standing friend of Bangladesh and an important development partner. Beyond conventional trade, there is scope to strengthen the two countries’ economic partnership through technology transfer, industrialisation, export diversification and sustainable investment. Both countries will benefit if Bangladesh’s production capacity and market potential can be combined with the Netherlands’ technology and experience.
Stressing the need to keep Bangladesh’s exports competitive after LDC graduation, the commerce minister said Europe is one of Bangladesh’s most important export markets. Institutional and policy cooperation is needed to ensure long-term access to it. To that end he stressed taking forward technical talks on the proposed free trade agreement with the EU and removing non-tariff barriers.
Cooperation in agriculture and food processing was also discussed. The commerce minister said the Netherlands’ advanced seed technology, research and experience of modern farm management can create new possibilities in Bangladesh’s agriculture. The two countries can work together to raise the quality and productivity of potatoes and other vegetables, produce exportable farm goods to international standards and create new markets.
He set out the need to expand specialised vegetable growing in the country’s promising regions, Sylhet among them, to raise farmers’ technical skills and to build a modern supply system for storing, transporting and marketing farm produce.
On the jute industry, Khandaker Abdul Muktadir said rising global demand for environmentally friendly goods has created an opportunity for new markets for Bangladesh’s jute and jute products. Dutch technical cooperation can play an important part in developing improved jute seed, raising productivity, setting up joint laboratories and producing diversified jute goods. There is also potential for high value addition in the sector through environmentally friendly packaging and blended-fibre fabrics.
The Dutch minister, Sjoerd Sjoerdsma, expressed interest in expanding economic relations with Bangladesh further and in investing in promising sectors. He stressed making use of the Netherlands’ experience in agricultural technology, food processing, the modernisation of industry, maritime transport and water management.
The meeting discussed possible cooperation from the Dutch technology company Stamicarbon in modernising Bangladesh’s fertiliser factories and raising their production capacity. Investment, technology exchange and capacity-building in renewable energy, solar power included, also came up.
On ports and maritime transport, the two sides discussed the development of Bangladesh’s port infrastructure, the Laldia terminal among it, the building of a modern logistics system and the possible investment and technical participation of Dutch companies. Views were also exchanged on making use of the experience of the Dutch research institute Deltares in dredging rivers and canals, flood control and integrated water management.
The protection of intellectual property and patents, the modernisation of customs procedures and improvement of the institutional framework for doing business, with a view to increasing Dutch investment, also came up. The two countries’ representatives further discussed the scope for cooperation in building skills for international trade negotiations, training young and women workers and developing human resources.
Commerce Secretary Md Ataur Rahman Khan and the Netherlands’ ambassador to Bangladesh, Joris van Bommel, were present, along with members of both countries’ delegations.
বাংলায় মূল প্রতিবেদন পড়ুন · Read the original Bengali report